August obsessions: fascinators, fragrance & frocks

With the sales finally coming to a close, I should be getting excited about new season shopping, but to be honest with you, I’m a bit scared by all the shearling gilets and harem pants, so my mind is still on Summer. With a foreign holiday in less than a week (yay!) I’m still indulging my swimwear obsession and hunting down things to buy in Duty Free, and also looking for some quirky last-minute finishing touches to a number of late Summer wedding outfits. Here’s what’s on my mind at the moment…

Dylan is my one true love. I have gone on and on and on about this handbag for far too long so apologies to those who’ve seen me blog about it before. It has everything I like in a bag (shoulder and cross-body straps, subtle hardware, lots of zips, a lovely leather and a funky lining) and now they’ve gone and made it in purple. They do this just to taunt me, I’m convinced. One day, there’ll be a UK stockist and / or a $200 discount. Please?

I used to be incredibly unfaithful to fragrances, until I found Flowerbomb by Viktor and Rolf and I thought I’d found my perfect perfume. Then I made the mistake of spritzing this whilst in Debenhams, and I think I may have found something I love even more. I’ve never liked Thierry Mugler fragrance before (Angel smells awful on me and Alien is just ‘meh’) but this is just gorgeous. Quite fruity and fun, but with something really special hiding underneath that stops it smelling like every sickeningly sweet celeb perfume on the market. Apparently it’s caviar…whatever it is, it works.

What a surprise! A retro swimsuit! Despite the fact I have swimwear coming out of my ears and only a week or two a year to show it off, I bought one of these the moment I saw it. It’s a dead ringer for the Betsey Johnson and (*hides*) Juicy Couture retro cossies I’ve been eyeing up, and a tad cheaper than the Esther Willliams swimsuit I just couldn’t justify buying given that I already have the bikini. Making this in larger sizes for ASOS Curve seems like a no-brainer to me, so here’s hoping that’s on its way.

I went to Boohoo’s Autumn / Winter press day a couple of weeks ago, and the models were all wearing these shoes. The pictures don’t really do them justice. I am blessed with terrible cankles (this is not one of those imaginary body hang-ups, I really do have oddly thick ankles!) so ankle-straps rarely do up on me, and if they do they look terrible, so I’ve never really been able to try chunky gladiator heels or shoe-boots. These are the closest I can get – lots of detail on the vamp but the zip allows a bit more wiggle room. And they’re only £20. Fab!

I love the unexpected glam of a party dress with sleeves. In a room full of girls in strapless and one-shoulder frocks, it really stands out. Plus this shade of green looks amazing on just about everyone. I’d team this with a good basting of St. Tropez tan, metallis shadow and fake lashes, some very OTT gold jewellery (perhaps a knotted collar or some big Pat Butcher earrings) and killer heels or wedges. Now, which way to Studio 54?

Someone is currently selling a bottle of Chanel’s limited edition ‘Jade’ nail polish for £200 on eBay (er, good luck with that). Clearly, Chanel nails are the Ones To Have, and the latest must have from them is ‘Paradoxal’, being touted as the perfect greyish purple. Of course it’s impossible to get hold of. Luckily, Models Own have an alternative so close in colour that you’d be hard-pushed to tell the difference. Don’t believe me? Just look for yourself. At £5 instead of almost £20, it’s a no-brainer, and mine’s winging its way to me as we speak!

I was always scared of chunky textures in the past because it’s been drummed into me that added bulk is Just Not Slimming. But if reading so many amazing curvy blogs has taught me one thing, it’s that you shouldn’t be scared to give anything a go, and that dressing to ‘slim’ is not only fighting a losing battle, it’s also bad for your confidence. Your body is the shape it is, and no amount of clever dressing is going to change that. So I decided to buy this and stick two fingers up to the rules! It’s perfect for my ostentatious, girly style, and will be a great cover-up at parties in the coming months.

I’ve got two weddings to go to in September and I really need to pick what I’m wearing so I can order one of these fascinators as the finishing touch. I’ve collected things with butterflies on since I was a teenager (again, predictable, no?) so I love thehoneycomb’s gorgeous combs and wreathes. I wore one of this designer’s floral pieces as a bridesmaid recently, and they’re really beautifully made. Plus it’s lovely to support an independent designer, instead of rocking up in the same M&S or Accessorize fascinator as everyone else!

Louise is in the US until November, and ready and willing to buy all manner of American goodies to bring back to London on her return. Jim is debating asking her for an iPad, and I've already given her a Sephora shopping list. PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE CAN I ASK HER TO BUY THAT BAG FOR YOU SO YOU CAN FINALLY REST IN PEACE?! xx

http://www.gemmacartwright.com Gemma

ha ha! Jenni's going soon too…but I really can't justify $400 on a bag when there is rent and food and travel and other things to pay for. It will remain but a distant dream. it *is* nice in purple though, isn't it?!